Mail-bag-transferring device.



M. G. SCHLACHT. MAIL BAG TRANSFERBING DEVICE. APPLICMLION FILED MAY 9.

Patented Nov. 12, 1918;

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MARTIN G; SCHLACHT, 0F TUCSON, ARIZONA.

MAIL-EAG-TEANSFERRING DEVICE.

astens Application filcdjlliey 9, 1918.

its'primary object to provide an apparatus of this cha acter which will be simple in' construction, positive in operation, and ahsolutely reliable in. use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device for handling mail bags which prevents the from coming in contact with the ground, and which causes the interchange mail in such manner as to minimize the opportunity for Wear of the bags or damage to the contents thereof.

A still further object of the invention resides in providing a receptacle for the purpose of receiving the bags and which is equipped with improved means for causing the auton'iatic closing: of the receptacle when the bag has been delivered thereto, and which. is equipped with means operable by the movement of the hag for properly centering the latter within the receptacle.

"With these objects in view l'OQ'QtllOt with others which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the novel formation. combination and arrangement of parts. all as will he described more fully hereinafter, illustrated in the drawings, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

' In the drawingsr- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a receptacle for the mail bags, the receptacle being shown in open positiom Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken upon line 2---2 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a similar View taken upon line 3-3 of; 1.

Referring now more particularly to the dra rings, 5 represents a' post or standard mounted beside the railroad tracks, and which is adai'itedto support the receptacle of my invention.

The receptacle comprises ,a pair of semicylindrical sections 6 and 7, each of said secons being closed at its end as shown, and

specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Kev. 12, 1918.

Serial No. 233,549.

these sections a adapted when placed together edge to edge to constitute the holder for a mail bag. Each of the sections 6 and T is provided adjacent one edge with outardly projecting arms 8 and 9, the said arms being rotatably secured upon the stand ard ollars 10 are ailiXcd to the standard and support the arms 8 and 9, and it is obvious from the structure described, that the sections (3 and 7 are capable of rotating upon the said standard.

The arm 9 is provided adjacent its outer end with a shoulder 11, engaged by a pawl 1" carried by the arniS, and the pawl is yicldably held in engagement with the shoulder 11 by a spring 13. The shoulder is arranged upon the arm in such manner that the pawl 12 will be engaged therewith when the sections (3 and '7 are in open position, or in a position to receive the mail bags from a moving train. A bracket 14 is permanently secured at one end to the section 6 and has its free end disposed in the path of n'lovement of the section 7, and limits the movement of the said sections in one direction.

Pi voted at one end within the section 6 is a trip lever 15, the free end of the said lever being connected by a flexible n'icnihel' such as a cord or chain 16, with the pawl 12 and it is obvious that when the trip lever is moved in one direction, the cord 16 will he tcnsioned so as to draw the pawl 12 out of engagement with the shoulder 11.

interposed between the sections (3 and 7. are

springs 17. in the present instance, these springs are shown as being coiled around the standard 5 and being engaged at their ends with the I'Elll' faces of the sections 6 and 7, thus normally forcing the sections into engagement with each other. The con struction is such that when the sections 6 and 7 have been moved outwardly until the pawl 12 engages the shoulder 11, the receptacle will he in cocked position, and the springs 17 will he tensioned. Should a mail bag be thrown into the section 6, it will contact the trip arm 15, whereupon the pawl 12 will be withdrawn from engagement with the shoulder 11 and the springs 17 will be permitted to force the section 7 into closed position. it will be observed that when in closed position, the edges of the section 7 will be engaged with the correspoi'uling edges of the section 6 and the mail bags will thus be wholly inclosed.

The receptacle is placed beside the track, relatively close to the moving train,v and when in open or receiving position, section 6 is disposed next to the moving train and is in a position to receive a bag delivered or thrown therefrom. When the bag enters the section 6, the momentum thereof will force the said section rearwardly, and this force will be transmitted to the section 7 through 10 the brace or bracket 1%, causing the section 7 to be thrown forwardly. It will be understood, that this force is not imparted to the section 7 until after the pawl 12 has been disengaged from the shoulder 11. The section 15 7 swings over the section 6, and" the bolt thereof enters the lock casing 21, causing the said sections to be locked together. The mail clerk may open the receptacle by inserting the proper key in the lock casing 21, as will 20 beunderstood. The force of the bag contactis provided upon its inner face with centering members constituting the arms-23. These arms are pivoted intermediate their ends as at 24:, to the interior of the section and each of the said arms is provided with a substantially right angular-1y disposed portion 525 against which the mail bag is adapted to engage. A spring tends to force the portion 25 rearwardly into the casing and to move the portion 23 outwardly into the center of the 0 casin and a sna fastener such as the s nin 21 e 5 indicated at 27 is employed to hold the centering arms in operative position. When the bag is thrown 1nto the section, the same comes into Contact with arm 25, whereupon the 5 force delivered thereto will cause the arm 23 to spring past the snap fastener or spring The arm/23 thus will be forced by spring 26 toward the center of the section, and the bag will be carried by the said arm and kept out o f engagement with the outer edges of the casing section.

The bags delivered from the train may be supported upon suitable-arms or may be tossed into the section (3 from the doorway of the car.

The above is a description of the recepta cle for the mail bags and isdescribcd as being positioned upon the groung tbut it will be understood that a similar device could be 0 positioned the car, to receive mail bags suspended beside the track. It is obvious that with the use of a device of this character, the mail bag interchanged, will be prevented from coming 'into contact with the ground and will be delivered to the receptacle in such manner as to minimize the opportunity for wear or breakage of the bags or contents thereof.

The foregoing description and the drawings have reference to what may be considered the preferred or hpp'roved form of my invention. It is to be understood that I may make such changes in construction and arrangement and combination of parts, materials, dimensions, etc., as may prove expedient and fall within the scope of the. appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In device of the class described, a re ceiver comprising a pair of sections hinged together, means tending normally to force said sections together, a pawl for holding said sections against said forcing means, a

trip mechanism in one 01" said sections, a

connection between said trip mechanism;

and said pawl, and a bracket connected to one of said sections and engaged by the other of said sections when thesaid sections are in open position' 2. In a device of the class described, a standard, a pair of sections, arms projecting from the adjacent edges of said sections and being rotatably supported upon said standard, a shoulder on one of said arms, a pawl carried by th adjacent arm of the next section, the pawl engaged with said shoulder when said secti, are separated, a trip lever in one of said sections, a flexible member connecting said trip member with said pawlv and a spring interposed between said. 'se'ctions and tending to force the same together;

In a device or" the class described, a receiver comprising a pair of hinged sections, 10

centering arms arranged within one of said sections, an arm connected to each of said or tering arms and disposed across said section and away from the wall thereof, a spring tending normally to force said centering arms toward the center of said section, and a spring latch for holding said arms retracted;

In testimony whereof l affix my-signature .in presence of two witnesses.

MARLIN G. SCHL-XCl-IT.

Witnesses: p

A. T. SMITH, GERTRUDE Ewinc. 

